What are the downsides of hip and knee surgery? Is one riskier than the other?
Hip and knee replacement have definitely improved and evolved over the last decade or so. Robotic and computer-assisted techniques are available, as well as less invasive techniques with smaller incisions and less muscle trauma. Hospital stays are shorter. Most patients I see are happy with their progress between six and eight weeks post surgery. You walk the day of surgery so you’re never completely incapacitated. Knee and hip replacements rank at the top of all orthopaedic surgeries you can have in terms of patient satisfaction, return to work and getting people back to doing what they love.
Any surgery has risks and it is important to talk with your doctor about your individual situation. I talk with my patients about the low risk of infection and blood clots, but there are other risks. If you have questions, the best thing to do is talk with your doctor.
How is someone diagnosed when they see a specialist?
One of the most important things I do is to listen to the patient. I’ll learn certain characteristic stories, such as someone telling me she has to stand at the table a minute or two after getting up following dinner.
A patient will have an exam of the joints to determine his or her range of motion. I love to look at how you walk when you come into the office, to see if you have a characteristic hip or knee limp. X rays and sometimes MRI scans can also tell us a great deal.
Has the profile of your patients changed over the years?
I’m seeing more people in their 40s and 50s today. They’re more active and less tolerant of disability than patients used to be, such as someone who can’t play tennis at 55, or a 45-year-old parent who can barely keep up with her kids.
People who might have once thought they were done leading active lifestyles, let’s say in their 80s, also are willing to address problems later in life. Doctors used to say you’re too young or too old for hip or knee surgery, but in today’s world it’s less about how old you are and more about expectations and maximizing the care for YOU.